Whitewashed the Millie!

[Cherie]

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We had fun with our new pressure washer and snowfoam lance. k:

Dal applied the first coat
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This was rinsed off, and mostly clean, but she was still manky around the rear
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So I had a go and applied a second coat, perfecting the technique along the way to get a thicker coating
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I quick wipe over to get the lingering muck off (this wasn't a particularly thorough clean, but enough to get 95% of the dirt off)

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This is the cute little Karcher unit we got:
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The snow foam attachment and foam came from Auto Brite Direct

 

[Dal]

I like this "blob" shot:

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:thumbs:

 

[Fordfreak]

ok, that does it, time for the yearly Millie clean tomorrow...
Nice 'blob' shot by the way.

 

[Clemo]

Snow foam is great fun, but also does a good job, can now get most of the cack off before even putting a wash mit to the paint.

My 2 year old daughter loves it, think she'll be trying to get involved in the summer!

Millie looks great!

 

[yippeekiay]

Looking good, I'd get a snow foam thingy but it'd be for pi$$ing about and not washing the car.

Think my Karcher has only been used to blast the drive and the moss out of the paving slabs...lol.

Oh, and I used it to clean my windows once. May have used it on the car but can't remember to be honest...pmsl

 

[Dal]

That's exactly why we got it Clemo - both our cars are that manky (well the millie isn't now) that putting a microfibre sponge on it just filled me with dread with the possible scratch / swirl marks. At least this way, 95% of the muck, grit. salt and general cack comes off without even touching it.

:thumbs:

 

[spike.]

sounds like the best way for an easy regular wash techinque, esp with a larger car!

 

[Bentleya]

Nothing like a bit of snow foaming. Which Chemical are you using? I've been using Magifoam since it's release and i love it to bits and loads of people rave about it on detailing world .

 

[Dal]

Yup. we've got 5L of >Magifoam<. It's not cheap, but after reading up on all sorts of snow foam, it seemed to be the best you can get. It stuck for a good half hour without a problem. I just covered my ST in a nice thick coat ten minutes ago so will be rinsing at about 12.. :lol:

 

[Tom B]

Iv only just got one of these and used it on my dad's avensis, its definatley a time saver on a bigger car! i went round it with a mitt after and my arm was knackered! :lol: Im using super snowfoam which worked nicely! Cheap too

 

[AndyW]

jealous

 

[crispy1980]

i have been using the super snow foam since i got mine last year. im starting to get a bit low and as the shop is only 10 mins form me ill pop up and buy a selection of the foams they have to try them all out. really does help with the washing. the only thing is that i find it works better on laquered cars, doesnt seem to shift the dirt as well on the milly as it does on our cmax. i have also learnt to spray the foam on with the car dry, not wet it first as they reccoemnd .

 

[Dal]

If you spray it on a dry car it makes sense that it'll stick better k:

Just done my ST and it stuck like mad for half an hour as it was so manky!

 

[spike.]

ordered myself some, looking forward to a white car

 

[Dal]

k:

I take it you have the snow foam lance already then?

 

[spike.]

I have a katcher already, have ordered a snow lance for it, along with a bottle of foam

 

[spike.]

Oh, if anyone orders from AutoBrite, use the discount code of MMM1

Its not much, but better than nothing

 

[crispy1980]

the pricing is a bit wierd, i needed a new hose as when i bought it they dont have an adaptor for a makita washer, so bought a gun and hose that would fit both. anyway, on the online shop a new hose and a new bottle ( which is the weakest point of the system as its soft plastic whereas the foaming lance has a metal thread ) and it came to around £15. went in the shop and he chagrged me £11?? wish id had some foam solution as well now!

 

[PaulQ]

Is Magifoam still being used? Basically, it is acting as a surfactant (probably anionic.) Surfactants are cheap and cheerful but should be kept away from ponds.

It loosen the dirt on a car by reducing the surface tension between the water and any greasy stuff that’s holding the dirt in place. Yes, the foam is dramatic and it does make applying it more effective but a fine mister with a small amount of basic car shampoo will save you £10 a litre and then it rinse off (all surfactants should be rinsed off anyway.)

A thing I didn’t like about it was the marketing: I’m not too sure about how the “banana scented” fits in with “keep away from children”. Stuff you shouldn’t drink (even if you’re an idiot child brought up on banana-flavoured milkshakes) is usually scented with something vile for safety.

The thing is that the chemical they use is Isoamyl Acetate that just happens to smell of bananas (Its common name is “Banana Oil.”) It acts as a surfactant and is not harmful in small quantities[1] but larger quantities (straight from the bottle) are and I suppose other stuff in the foam may be:

This from the bottle:
Autobrite Direct. Magifoam

WARNING
Harmful if swallowed. Irritating to eyes. Keep out of the reach of children. If splashed in eyes flush thoroughly with cool running water for 15 minutes, contact a doctor immediately if irritation persists. If ingested, contact a doctor immediately. Do not induce vomiting.

So surely they should spend a few pence per bottle and have it scented of something else.

The warning is nothing remarkable and most shampoos will have something like this: weasel words by lawyers to avoid heavy damages, but, more in sadness than in anger, why keep it smelling of bananas?


[1] as you’re not likely to use it a non-ventilated area

 

[stu brown birkenhead]

Any one washing their puma should get their hands on some autoglym hd wax and give it a go highly recomended